The Most Unique Apartment Amenities in Chicago

TL;DR Chicago apartment amenities have gone way past a gym and a pool. The standouts now include golf simulators (Wolf Point East, One Chicago, Fulbrix), a resident sports bar and boxing ring at NEMA, podcast and recording studios at AMLI 808 and Spoke, and a 3,000-square-foot dog park at One Chicago. Here are the coolest, and where to find them.

A rooftop pool used to be the flex. Now it is table stakes. Chicago's newer buildings compete on amenities you would not believe are in an apartment building, and we went through the amenity lists to find the most unique. Here is the good stuff.

Golf simulators

This is the amenity arms race of the moment. A surprising number of Chicago buildings now have a full golf simulator on site.

River North leads, with simulators at Wolf Point East, Wolf Point West, 640 North Wells, and One Chicago. Fulbrix in Fulton Market and NEMA in the South Loop have them too. If you want to work on your swing in February without leaving the building, you have options.

A resident sports bar and a boxing ring

NEMA in the South Loop runs the most over-the-top amenity floor in the city, about 70,000 square feet. The headliner is The Station, a full-service resident sports bar, alongside a boxing ring, squash and basketball courts, a golf simulator, and a movie theater. It is less an amenity deck than a private club.

For hoops specifically, The Duncan in the West Loop and 1000 South Clark in the South Loop have basketball courts, and a handful of buildings, including The Lawrence House in Uptown and The Bush Temple in River North, have boxing setups.

Recording and maker studios

A few buildings cater to creators. AMLI 808 in River North has a podcast recording studio and a DIY makers' space, perfect for side projects. Spoke in River West goes further with a recording studio and a dedicated music room, so you can actually make noise.

Serious dog amenities

Chicago is a dog city, and the buildings know it. One Chicago in River North is the headliner with a 3,000-square-foot dog park plus a dog wash, all on site. Wolf Point East has its own dog run and dog wash.

Beyond the marquee names, this is now a widespread amenity: dozens of buildings offer a dog spa or dog run, so you rarely have to leave home for a quick wash or a play session.

Boutique fitness, built in

The newest buildings are bringing the boutique-studio experience in-house. Fulbrix in Fulton Market has SoulCycle bikes, Spoke has a dedicated Peloton spin studio, Optima Signature in Streeterville has a WELLBEATS virtual workout studio, and AMLI 808 has a Lululemon Mirror in its fitness center. It is a real money-saver if you would otherwise pay for a studio membership.

Pools that go big

Pools are everywhere now, but a few are destinations. NEMA pairs a 10,000-square-foot outdoor pool deck with sunning and spa pools and an indoor 75-foot lap pool. Optima Signature has both indoor and outdoor heated pools. Marlowe in River North puts a heated outdoor pool on its 15th floor, and the iconic Aqua in Lakeshore East has a lap pool on its massive amenity deck.

The little touches that add up

Some of the best amenities are the small, smart ones. AMLI 808 has an elevator that runs straight to the dog run, a two-story bike shop, and a resident herb garden. Atwater in Streeterville is known for its building events and a pet of the month. These are the touches residents mention most in reviews, the ones that make a building feel like a community.

How to think about amenities

A great amenity package is only worth it if you will use it. Golf simulators and recording studios are incredible, but be honest about whether you will use them weekly or twice a year, since you pay for all of it in the rent.

The amenities that quietly pay off for most renters are the everyday ones: an in-building gym you actually use, a dog wash if you have a dog, and a pool for summer. For the buildings residents rate highest overall, see our best Google reviews ranking, and for two amenity-rich head-to-heads, our Streeterville luxury showdown. Then browse current openings and book a tour.

Hero image: Photo by Chiputt Golf on Pexels